own importance. He knew that the people depended on him to protect them once his father stood down from his duties. The thought of ruling them was the only thing that got him through each day. He knew how much they needed him.
The first born prince closed his eyes in the serenity of the morning warmth as Valo edged up above the horizon illuminating a dying nights sky, and warming Calyx's face. Shades of pink and orange faded up into a blue and black twilight. The rising heat of Valo filled the air of the city with particles which danced in the light of a shifting breeze as if a storm of dust blew between the shadows of the buildings. Four moons of differing phased crescents hung in the sky like stepping-stones leading up to the heavens. Calyx opened his eyes back to the world. He thought to himself that no matter how many planets he would visit in his lifetime, the rising of Valo on their home planet of Aquilla would surely never have a rival.
His morning peace was disturbed by footsteps. Only one person would come to break his morning thoughts. King Uly walked out onto the tower roof. Calyx did not look around nor greet his father. At times the very presence of him made his heart sink to his stomach. Calyx knew that Uly had only come to give him a lecture, or to put him down in some unsubtle way which he thought would serve only to make his son stronger and somehow more impervious to war. Uly took a place by his son's side, enjoying the view unfold before him.
"It's a beautiful world we live in," the king said, giving a glance across to his sons light-absorbed face.
"Sometimes I think so," said Calyx, locking his eyes on the morning mist.
"You don't think it's worth fighting for?" Uly asked.
"I am told what to think. You know that Father," Calyx said.
The king was calm and unmoved by the sharpness of his sons response. Uly opened his mouth to give Calyx a few home truths. He held back. Instead he took in a breath of air and kept his thoughts inside.
Regardless of what went through Calyx's mind, Uly did not set out to upset his son with every word he said. He cared deeply for him, even if he did find difficulty in displaying his affections. The task ahead required a tough exterior, something Uly had spent the last fifteen years explaining to his boy.
Calyx glanced down at some children, laughing and chasing each other in the royal courtyard below. His face became soulless as he watched on. He needed a friend to talk to; he only had his father.
"I had a dream last night," he said, without moving anything but his lips and still not wanting to look at his father. "A friend that I have never even met was killed by a squadron of white and red uniformed soldiers. I watched helplessly as they shot him to the floor in the dark."
The king closed his eyes in disappointment, this was exactly the nonsense he wished to beat out of his son.
"You would do well to live in your own world, Calyx. Controlling the Elementis takes a strong enough mind, but you know we need more from you. If you are not capable of what is expected you must tell me."
"I am capable, Father!"
"When you can control the minds of the dydrid, then you will be capable."
"I need time. I'm trying, Father. It's just…" Calyx lowered his head, there was so much he wished to say but Uly would not want to hear it.
The king set his strong blue eyes firmly onto Calyx. "It is just what?" he asked, perhaps too sharply.
The boy looked up to his father. "It's just, I've never had any fun or any friends. Not really. And I've never had a mother… I wouldn't mind that!" he said, daring to be truthful. "Just for a day!"
"The Zohr grows stronger with every darkening moment—you must always learn and never play," Uly reminded him.
Calyx wrapped his hand around the energy-star on his wrist and stared at its golden clasps that fed deep beneath his skin. He turned, storming away with an angered look on his face that tightened his lips and tensed his eyes. The prince
The first born prince closed his eyes in the serenity of the morning warmth as Valo edged up above the horizon illuminating a dying nights sky, and warming Calyx's face. Shades of pink and orange faded up into a blue and black twilight. The rising heat of Valo filled the air of the city with particles which danced in the light of a shifting breeze as if a storm of dust blew between the shadows of the buildings. Four moons of differing phased crescents hung in the sky like stepping-stones leading up to the heavens. Calyx opened his eyes back to the world. He thought to himself that no matter how many planets he would visit in his lifetime, the rising of Valo on their home planet of Aquilla would surely never have a rival.
His morning peace was disturbed by footsteps. Only one person would come to break his morning thoughts. King Uly walked out onto the tower roof. Calyx did not look around nor greet his father. At times the very presence of him made his heart sink to his stomach. Calyx knew that Uly had only come to give him a lecture, or to put him down in some unsubtle way which he thought would serve only to make his son stronger and somehow more impervious to war. Uly took a place by his son's side, enjoying the view unfold before him.
"It's a beautiful world we live in," the king said, giving a glance across to his sons light-absorbed face.
"Sometimes I think so," said Calyx, locking his eyes on the morning mist.
"You don't think it's worth fighting for?" Uly asked.
"I am told what to think. You know that Father," Calyx said.
The king was calm and unmoved by the sharpness of his sons response. Uly opened his mouth to give Calyx a few home truths. He held back. Instead he took in a breath of air and kept his thoughts inside.
Regardless of what went through Calyx's mind, Uly did not set out to upset his son with every word he said. He cared deeply for him, even if he did find difficulty in displaying his affections. The task ahead required a tough exterior, something Uly had spent the last fifteen years explaining to his boy.
Calyx glanced down at some children, laughing and chasing each other in the royal courtyard below. His face became soulless as he watched on. He needed a friend to talk to; he only had his father.
"I had a dream last night," he said, without moving anything but his lips and still not wanting to look at his father. "A friend that I have never even met was killed by a squadron of white and red uniformed soldiers. I watched helplessly as they shot him to the floor in the dark."
The king closed his eyes in disappointment, this was exactly the nonsense he wished to beat out of his son.
"You would do well to live in your own world, Calyx. Controlling the Elementis takes a strong enough mind, but you know we need more from you. If you are not capable of what is expected you must tell me."
"I am capable, Father!"
"When you can control the minds of the dydrid, then you will be capable."
"I need time. I'm trying, Father. It's just…" Calyx lowered his head, there was so much he wished to say but Uly would not want to hear it.
The king set his strong blue eyes firmly onto Calyx. "It is just what?" he asked, perhaps too sharply.
The boy looked up to his father. "It's just, I've never had any fun or any friends. Not really. And I've never had a mother… I wouldn't mind that!" he said, daring to be truthful. "Just for a day!"
"The Zohr grows stronger with every darkening moment—you must always learn and never play," Uly reminded him.
Calyx wrapped his hand around the energy-star on his wrist and stared at its golden clasps that fed deep beneath his skin. He turned, storming away with an angered look on his face that tightened his lips and tensed his eyes. The prince
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